Means for extinguishing fires



Dec. 7 1926. 1,609,762

- J. MORGAN MEANS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES Filed June 23 I 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet a 35 l 4Z il Jak /Vo/yqn wm f, 'f

1 l f l Silicium,

Zin/vento@ Dec. 7 1926. 1,609,762

J. MORGAN MEANS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES Filed June 25 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 guna/11km 707111 arjan Y, l f

Dec. 7 1926.` 1,609,762

I l J. MORGAN MEANS FOR ExTNGUsHNG FIRES Filed June 23 .1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 y i: E 32 Jo aiya 77 Patented Dec. 7, i926.

JOHN MORGAN, OFSCBANTN, PENNSYLVANIA.

MEANS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES.

Application filed .Tune .53J 1925. Serial No. 39,118.

This invention relates to means for eX- tinguishing lires, andthe general object of the inventionis to provide in combination with aA dirigible balloon a water tank `supported bythe balloonan'd transported thereby, Vthis 'water Vtank;having.--means wheref by V,it may be filled -eitherthroughY a pu-mp operated by amotor or by dipping into a body of water and allowing the tanks tofill as the machine travels forward.

A. further yobject is to provide improved means for supporting the tank upon the dirigible, and tofprovide a tank and a plurality of spraying pipes connected to the tank and provided with a plurality of valves kwhereby the outlet from thespraying pipes may be controlled, `the tank Vbeing surrounded by a-deck or platform providing means whereby the operators may have access to the various valves to vcontrol, the discharge of water fromthe tank.

A still `further object is to provide trucks for supportingthe tank on the ground or running along the bottom of a stream or otherv body of water, which trucks are provided with tanks having means whereby they may be filled as the machine moves through v at their upper ends the body of water.

Other objects have to do with the details of construction and arrangement of parts as will appear more fully hereinafter.

My invention is illustrated in the accom panying drawings, wherein f Figure 1 is a side elevation of my lire eX- tinguishing apparatus;

Figure 2 is a section on. the line 2 2 `of Figure 1; Y p v Figure 3 is a top plan viewV ofthel tank and platform; Y o.

Figure L.isis a-sectionv onu-'the line lf-4. of Figure 4.1; Y 1 l Figur 5 is avertical sectional view ofv one of the sprayerV .heads showing thevr valve therein and the means 'for actuating the valve;

Figure G is a. vertical sectional view of the pump; y

Figure 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Figure l; Figure Sis a top plan view of the auxillary or truck tank showing the filling opening therefor; Y

Referring to these drawings,` l() designates a dirigible balloon of any suitable construction, and supported from this di igible balloon is a tank supporting structure which,

as illustrated, consists of a rectangular platform 1l defining a central space which is equal in length to the tank y12 so vthat the platform inasense surrounds the tank; rlhe tank is supported fromtheplatform-v by braces 13 which `entend.down fromthis 1platform, as shownI in Figure 4,.. and are riveted, bolted or otherwise attachedor engaged with the water tank. Upwardlyicurved or bowed braces 14 are also attached to this platform 11 and extend over the water tank vl2 which, as illustrated, is circular in cross section.

The. platform 1l is defined byan upstanding` wall or gunwale 15, and mounted upon the top of the tank in any suitable manner is a cabin 16 wherein the operators'may live. The tank is supported from the dirigible by downwardly extending .links or cables 17, which at their lower ends are connected to straps 18 which pass around the tank. The upper ends of these links 17 are connected to straps 19 which pass around the dirigible itself or are connected thereto in any suitable manner, and in order to prevent the tank from swinging with reference to the dirigible bracing struts 2O may be provided which. as illustrated, are fastened to the bolt 2l which connects the forward 19 with the link or cable 17. This brace 2O entends downward and rearward and is riveted, bolted or otherwise attached, as at 22` to the tank itself.

Extending downward from the bottom of the water tank are a plurality of pipesV 28 having 'Ts 2e at their lower ends, and through these Ts extend the cross: pipes 25 which connect with vertical valve chambers 26 disposed equidistantly along Athelengthof the platform. The A lower endsof' these vertical valve 'chambers' 26 are connected to sprayer. heads' 27, the lower ends rofwhich are formed with a plurality of outlets so asV to discharge a spray downwardyand each valve chamber 2b isv formed with a seat 28.

Extending upward through the cap 29 which forms the upper' end of each valve chamber is a valve operating stein 30 having a wheel 31 at its upper end whereby it may be manipulated. platform is a supporting member 32 through which the stein passes and which means is screw-threaded for the engagement of the stem so'that as the stein is rotated in one direction the valve will be lifted, and when the stein is rotated in the opposite direction balloon-embracing strip- Mounted upon the'deck or' lll lli

A.le

he valve vvvill be closed. GbviouslyT the upper end ot' the cylindrical valve chamber 2G may he termed with screw-threads tor the valve. These valves may be ot any suitable or ordinary construction, the object being, ot course, to control tl e llow through the sprayer heads. The tank is povided at one or more points with air inlet openings so that the water may pass out readily trom the tank when the valves are opened.

rl`he opposite ends ol" the tank are supported by means ot trucks, designated generally 231iand carrying supporting wheels. Each ol' these trucks consists ot a ivater tank poper and a pair ot' axles 35 attached to the said Water tank 3 at each end ot the truck Ylbrnied thereby. rthe forward endL olf each truck tank Jiormed with a forwardly converging portion Bti having` a central open ing and a valve chamber 23T leading therefrom and in which is a hall valve 3S which urged against a seat 3S by means et a spring l0. Forward ol this seat 39 an inlet for the tank 3l is toi-ined with a flaring mouth ell, and it Will be obvious that as this tank ill is forced through the vater, the Water will torce the valve open and water vvill pass into the corresponding tank Each tank may be provided with a pipe or pipes leading up into the main water tank so as the truck water tanks 3l are movet through the water, water will pass into the inlets thereof and be toi-ced up through these inlets into the main water tank or the device may be simply loivered into a body otl Water to a deliith equal to that of the main Water tank itselt' and the Water will tlovr in through these inlets 3?, opening the ball valves 3S, and thus till the main Water tank and the Water tanks on the trucks.

its shovvn in Figures 7 and S, each tank is provided With a plurality ot transversely extending discharge pipes l opening into valve chambers connected at their lovver ends to sprayer heads The valves Within these chambers #l are precisely like the valves heretofore described are operated by means of valve rods e5 extending up through the decl; li and having hand Wheels whereby the valve rods may be rotated to raise or lower the valves and thus close or open the sprayer heads.

ln addition to this construction, may also provide. as illustrated in Figure 6, a pump t6 which is mounted below the main Water tank andr between the trucks and which is provided with a piston el? operated by means ot a motor 48, this pump cylinder t6 having an induction pipe t9 and a discharge pipe 50 which leads into the main tank. llhus this apparatus may descend onto a sheet ot Water with the pipe all) sub merged and then the pump may be started up so as to pump Water up into the tank.

This apparatus is particularly designed for putting out Jforest lires, though not limited to this use. lt is obvious that a structure ot this kind will be particularly convenient and advantageous, inasmuch as a largequantity oit Water may be carried to the immediate neighborhood ol the lire and the lire drenched by opening the spraying valves. rlhe discharge ot Water may be localized, otl course, by only opening those valves 'which are immediately' above the tire or may be spread over a relatively large sur :tace by opening more ot the valves. Of course, the Water my be impregnated with su tabe salts which will develop gases, aiding in smothering the lire, and thus a relatively small amount of Water Will do a large amount of Work.

l claim 1. The combination with elongated balloon, of a tank disposed below and ext-ending longitudinally ot the balloon and operativelyr supported therefrom, a deck carried by the tank and extending around the same, a p urality ot spray nozzles disposed belen7 the deck and operatively connected to the tank., valves operable from the deck controlling the discharge through the spray nozzles, trucks disposed below the ends of the tank, each truck including a tank, spray nozzles operatively connected to said truck tanks and having valves whereby discharge through these tanks may be controlled, each truck tank having an inlet opening, a forwardly flaring nozzle and a check valve permitting the induction ot Water through said nozzle into the interior of the truck tank but preventing the outward discharge ot Water therefrom, each truck tank being operatively connected to the main tank whereby Water may pass upward into the main tank.

2. T he combination with a Water tank and a balloon for suspending the tank in the air, ot means for lling the tank with Water including a funnel-shaped inlet member opening toward the forward end of the apparatus and having a. check valve therein opening upon pressure ot water from the outside. and a spring tor holding said valve normally closed.

ln testimony whereof I signature.

hereunto atlix my JOHN MORGAN.

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